4. Warmth

The following days were a mixture of cold formality and tentative gestures. Alexandria had settled into her new life in Lethian, but something had shifted. Renald, once a distant figure whose presence barely affected her, was now a more complex enigma. The cold walls he had erected around himself had started to show cracks. And though she remained cautious, Alexandria found herself noticing the subtle changes.

At breakfast one morning, Renald, as usual, was engrossed in the papers before him. Yet, as Alexandria sat down at the table, he briefly looked up — and for a moment, their eyes met.

For a split second, it was as though time stood still. Alexandria felt an unfamiliar warmth spread through her chest. It was brief, a mere flicker, but it was there.

“Good morning,” he said, his tone softer than usual. There was an almost imperceptible smile tugging at the corner of his lips, something uncharacteristically gentle.

“Good morning, Renald,” she replied, her voice measured but her heart beating a little faster. She couldn’t remember the last time he had greeted her like this. Perhaps it was nothing — just a fleeting moment — but she couldn’t ignore how it made her feel.

Their mornings had been rigid, full of silence or the occasional polite conversation, but today was different. There was an unspoken understanding between them, a shared moment of calm before the storm of their duties overtook them.

Renald reached for the pitcher of tea and poured her a cup, his hand steady. He set it down in front of her, his fingers brushing hers just a fraction longer than necessary. Alexandria’s breath hitched, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she found herself meeting his gaze with a quiet curiosity.

She couldn’t help but wonder if he felt it too — the subtle shift in their relationship. There was something unspoken between them now, something that hadn’t been there before. It was neither a promise nor a declaration, but it was a spark — a spark that made her heart skip a beat.

“I’ve arranged for a training session this afternoon,” Alexandria said, breaking the silence. “I’d like to keep my skills sharp.”

Renald’s brow furrowed, but this time, it wasn’t with irritation. There was a flicker of interest in his gaze.

“You still practice swordsmanship?” he asked, his tone softer than usual, as if the idea surprised him. “I thought your... duties would leave you little time for such things.”

“I make time for it,” she replied, her voice steady. “A sword is not just a weapon. It’s a part of me.”

Renald paused, studying her with a thoughtful expression. For a moment, she saw something in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before: admiration. It was fleeting, but it was there.

“You are unlike anyone I’ve met,” Renald said, almost under his breath.

Alexandria’s heart skipped again, but this time, she couldn’t mask the small smile that curled on her lips. For the first time since their marriage, there was a gentleness in his words — a softness that felt... real. She wasn’t sure what had changed in him, but she felt something between them shift once more.

That afternoon, after the training session, Alexandria was wiping down her sword when she noticed Renald standing at the edge of the training yard, watching her with an intensity that made her heart flutter.

“You’re still as skilled as I remember,” he said, his voice carrying across the yard.

Alexandria paused, wiping the sweat from her brow as she met his gaze. “You remember?”

“I’ve never forgotten,” Renald replied quietly, taking a step closer. “I never forgot who you were before you became my wife. Before this marriage.”

Alexandria’s heart raced, but she held his gaze. “And who am I now?”

Renald paused, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, he spoke, his words slow but deliberate: “You’re someone I never expected to respect. But now, I do. More than I can say.”

There was a sincerity in his voice that softened the harshness of his usual demeanor. Alexandria’s breath caught in her throat. She had never heard him speak so plainly, so... vulnerably.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough. Enough to make her heart stir with something more than just resignation. Maybe, just maybe, this marriage wouldn’t be as cold and empty as she had once feared. Maybe, they could find something more — something unexpected.

She placed her sword carefully against the wall and stepped toward him. “Perhaps we can learn to respect each other more, Renald. And maybe, one day, we will understand one another better.”

Renald looked at her, a flicker of something softening his usually rigid features. For a moment, Alexandria thought she saw a hint of a smile.

“I would like that,” he said quietly. “More than I can say.”

That night, after a long day of duties and responsibilities, Renald surprised Alexandria once again. As she sat at her vanity, brushing through her hair, he entered her chambers without the usual cold formality. This time, his presence felt different, almost... warm.

“Alexandria,” he said, his voice low but steady. “I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier. About us... working together.”

She looked at him over her shoulder, her heart skipping a beat at the sincerity in his eyes. He wasn’t the same man who had married her out of duty. No, this man was... softer. More open. It was as if the walls around him were crumbling, piece by piece.

“I meant it,” she replied softly. “We don’t have to be enemies. We can make this marriage something more than just a political alliance. We can build something together.”

Renald nodded, stepping closer. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, with things left unsaid, but for once, it didn’t feel suffocating. It felt like a beginning — the beginning of something new.

And as he reached out, gently brushing a lock of hair from her face, Alexandria realized, for the first time since their wedding, that she wasn’t alone in this.

Maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to be more than just a Duke and his Duchess. Maybe, they could be partners.

And in that moment, Alexandria allowed herself to hope.

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